Pedosphere Research, vol. 5, 2025, no. 2: 113–132
Review
BLACK SOILS OF THE DANUBIAN LOWLAND IN THE LIGHT OF HISTORICAL AND CURRENT KNOWLEDGE – A REVIEW
Jaroslava Sobocká, Juraj Hraško, Emil Fulajtár, Martin Saksa
National Agricultural and Food Centre – Soil Science and Conservation Department Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Professor Emeritus Nitra
Corresponding author: assoc. prof. Jaroslava Sobocká, CSc., National Agricultural and Food Centre, Soil Science and Conservation Department, Priemyselná 4, 821 08 Bratislava, Slovakia, e-mail: jaroslava.sobocka@nppc.sk, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5471-1519
Citation: Sobocká, J., Hraško, J., Fulajtár, E., Saksa, M. (2025). Black soils in the light of historical and current knowledge – a review. Pedosphere Research, vol. 6: 113 – 132. NPPC 2025, ISSN 2729-8728. https://doi.org/10.64122/j.pedosres.2025.05.08
Abstract
The paper evaluates black soils (especially Chernozems) in the Danubian Lowland in terms of their occurrence, mineralogical composition, basic soil properties, soil genesis and classification. The evaluation of black soil is based on the results of the General Survey of Agricultural Soils from the 1960s, the results of which (maps and databases) were processed by the latest digital information and communication technologies. The paper analyses and supplements the more detailed characteristics of the Žitný ostrov area soils, especially Chernozems, but also touches on other related soil types. A detailed field survey of Chernozems, including specific analytical measurements, allowed us to deepen the knowledge and identify differences or similarities of soil types (physical-chemical and micromorphological differences). Attention is mainly paid to the separation of the facies of mycelial carbonate Chernozems of the Danubian Lowland, which are unique in current soil and climatic conditions. A distinctive feature of all mycelial carbonate Chernozems is the presence of a zone of needle calcite (lublinite). In addition to illite, these soils are characterized by a high chlorite content. It has been found that the carbonates of the alluvial deposits of Žitný ostrov, as well as the lower Váh valley, as well as the loess of the Trnava Uplands consist not only of calcite (CaCO3), but also of dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2). Both minerals dominate the clay fraction of all, but especially in Chernozemic soils. The genesis of the soils is supported by micromorphological characteristics, pointing primarily to the paleo-hydromorphic character of the Žitný ostrov soils. Hydromorphic and saline soils, which are part of the Danube Lowland, are also marginally mentioned. Soil classification is based on the morphogenetic principle applied in the Morphogenetic Soil Classification System of Slovakia and compared with the current development of the classification of black soils in the world (FAO International Black Soil Network, World Reference Base for Soil Resources).
Keywords: black soils, Chernozem, Danubian Lowland, Žitný ostrov area, micromorphology genesis, paleohydromorphism